Carly Fiorina (R)

Positions & Statements on the Issues

[Editor's Note: On Wednesday Feb. 10, 2016, Carly Fiorina announced the suspension of her presidential campaign in a Facebook post. She stated that "This campaign was always about citizenship—taking back our country from a political class that only serves the big, the powerful, the wealthy, and the well connected. Election after election, the same empty promises are made and the same poll-tested stump speeches are given, but nothing changes. I've said throughout this campaign that I will not sit down and be quiet. I'm not going to start now. While I suspend my candidacy today, I will continue to travel this country and fight for those Americans who refuse to settle for the way things are and a status quo that no longer works for them."]

"The only way to get a bureaucracy under control is to do two things. Give it less money—we haven't done that for 50 years. And know where every dollar's being spent. I am a prioritize-tax-dollars Republican...

We have to have lower rates. The government needs to take in less tax money, not more. There's only one way to cut deficits - actually, there are two ways, and they go hand in hand. Grow the economy, cut spending."

"Our tax code is 73,000 pages... We need to radically simplify the tax code so that we can re-start the real engine of growth in our economy. That means our tax code needs to go from 73,000 pages down to about three pages.

[W]e need to lower every rate and close every loophole. I will support a low, flat tax for businesses and individuals so that we fix the tax base and grow the economy. The Hoover Institution and Congressman Michael Burgess, M.D. both developed tax plans that do exactly this. Under their plans, both businesses and individuals can file their taxes on a simple form. They won't need armies of accountants, lawyers, and lobbyists to figure out how to take advantage of loopholes and game the system because there will be no system to game."

Not Clearly Pro or ConIs the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) Trade Agreement Good for America?

"Free trade is a good thing and I would love to be able to support this thing [Trans-Pacific Partnership], but unfortunately we don't know what's in it--and that's the problem. We've seen too many deals in this administration where they sound like a good thing... And so, I think we need to see the details. It's hard for me to understand why the president--who's pitching this deal so hard--won't just give us some understanding of what's in it. For example, one of the purposes of this deal was to solidify our leadership in a region so that we could push back a little against a newly assertive China. Now we're hearing that maybe China could join this deal in a couple years. Is that true? Is it not? I don't know. We need to know those kinds of details, which are pretty important."

Not Clearly Pro or ConWas the Citizens United Supreme Court Decision Good for America?

"There's no question that special interests of all kinds have a lot of influence in politics... Here's my formula here: we've got to have a level playing field so either everyone gets to play or nobody gets to play.

You can't say that companies don't get to play but unions do. You can't say that EMILY's list doesn't get to play but the NRA does. I mean, both sides have done this. And so if we're going to clean it up, and I have no problem with cleaning it up, we've got to clean it up for everybody so that the playing field is level...

The point is, let's have the same rules apply to everybody, and the only way for that to be true, they've got to be simple so we can understand them."

"There's no question that China is a rising adversary. There is no question they have cheated on trade agreements. There's no question they have engaged in cyber espionage and cyberattacks for a long time."

Source: "Carly Fiorina: Now Is the Time to Put Pressure on China in All Kinds of Ways," foxbusiness.com, Sep. 4, 2015

"The deal that the United States has negotiated with Iran poses a grave threat to American security at home and abroad.

U.S. officials know that Iran has had a long-term plan to gain a nuclear weapon and destabilize the region through its support of terrorist organizations. And it is known that President Rouhani has never agreed to full and unfettered United Nations inspections of Iran’s nuclear facilities...

This is not an agreement which will make Americans proud. It is not a deal that demonstrates our strength and resolve at home and abroad. Our allies will not point to this as a signal of our continued support...

"Before we start calling for more laws I think we ought to consider why we don't enforce the laws we have...

Well let's start with we know a whole bunch of people who have guns and aren't supposed to they're on a list and yet we're not doing anything about it. We're not prosecuting them. Many murders are committed by people who are not supposed to have guns and who have guns we know this, it's a fact, and yet these people aren't prosecuted..."

ProShould People on the No-Fly List or the Terror Watch List Be Allowed to Purchase Guns?

"That's [banning gun sales to people on the terror watch list] kind of a red herring, honestly. If somebody is a suspected terrorist on a watch list they can be indicted at any time. And once you are indicted you cannot own a firearm. So let's enforce the laws we have. Let's start with that...

My best friend's husband was on the watch list for years, it was a complete mistake. He also happened to be a gun owner. If I had utter faith in the competence of government I might agree with that, but do you? I don't. The government screws up all the time. They screw up who they put on watch lists."

"Science is helping those of us who believe in the sanctity of life to make our case every day. Science is why more and more young people are becoming pro-life. We know, for example, that the DNA that is present in the zygote is precisely the same DNA that each person possesses at the moment of their death...

We know now that a life in utero dreams, and can feel pain after five months...

[Editor's Note: In a Jan. 2010 radio interview, as quoted in the article "Right Fight" by Connie Bruck, published June 7, 2010 in the New Yorker, Carly Fiorina stated, "I absolutely would vote to overturn Roe v. Wade if the opportunity presented itself."]

"It is outrageous that the Supreme Court once again rewrote ObamaCare to save this deeply flawed law despite the plain text and in the face of overwhelming evidence that the law is not working for the majority of Americans.

ObamaCare has not lived up to what we were promised. Instead of more affordable care, premiums are rising. Instead of allowing those with insurance to stay on the plans they knew and liked, millions of people have been compelled to buy health plans that they didn't want... Instead of reducing the need for emergency care, we're seeing more ER visits. There are a whole set of problems we've created and it has become clear that this law isn't working...

ProShould Parental Consent Be Required for Pregnant Minors to Have Abortions?

"Hello, this is Carly Fiorina. In California, a 13-year-old girl can have a surgical abortion without either of her parents ever knowing about it, please help us put the parental notification initiative on the California ballot in 2016…

Parental notification would require a parent or guardian be notified before an abortion is performed on an under 18 year old girl."

"The National Right to Life Committee has been a staunch advocate against abortion and euthanasia for decades, and I have great respect for the good work the organization does to defend the sanctity of life. I am honored to have earned the organization's endorsement, and I look forward to working together to... defend our shared values in Washington as a member of the U.S. Senate."

Source: Carly for California, “Carly Fiorina Endorsed by National Right to Life Committee,” carlyforca.com, May 5, 2010

"Planned Parenthood is aborting fetuses alive to harvest their brains and body parts. That is a fact... And, taxpayers are paying for it... It must be stopped...

I believe if the president of the United States and Democrats are willing to stand up and defend what is roughly a $500 million to $600 million line item in the budget -- if they are willing to stand up and defend this practice [alleged harvesting of body parts from fetuses] and shut down the government over it, then let them explain it to the American people...

But I believe this is something we must stand up and fight for because it is about the character of our nation. Taxpayers are funding this activity, and not only that, not only are taxpayers having to fund this butchery, but Planned Parenthood doles out millions of dollars every single election cycle to Democrat candidates."

Not Clearly Pro or ConShould All Americans Have the Right (Be Entitled) to Health Care?

"[People] want better access and better care – things that we know only come from competition. This doesn't mean we end all regulations on our healthcare industry. But it does mean we find a fair balance that ensures access and quality while ending the grip of crony capitalism on our healthcare market."

ProShould Checking Employee Immigration Status (as in the E-Verify Program) Be Mandatory for All Employers?

"There's no question that we should be deporting illegals who have committed major crimes. There's no question that we should have an employer verification system that actually works so we can make it mandatory."

Not Clearly Pro or ConShould the United States Continue to Build the Fence/Wall along the US-Mexico Border?

"I don't think walls are particularly effective. I mean, if that's what it took to do it, I would do it, North or South. But I think technology has advanced to the point where it is far quicker, far less expensive, and actually far more effective to deploy technology."

ConShould Undocumented Immigrants in the United States Be Allowed to Become Legal Residents?

"In my view, we also have to fix the illegal immigration system, which has been broken for about 25 years now. Everyone talks about comprehensive solutions but nobody starts with the basics. My own view is, if you have come here illegally and stayed here illegally, that you don't get a path to citizenship...

I think legal status is a possibility, for sure. I think their children maybe can become citizens. But my own view is it isn't fair to say to people who have played by the rules -- and it takes a long time to play by the rules -- that, you know, it just doesn't matter."

"Of course we are a compassionate people. But the vast majority of refugees leaving Syria are able-bodied young men. And our own government has told us that we cannot properly vet these people. So of course we cannot be letting them in. And that is not because we're prejudiced against Muslims, it's because we care about our own safety and security and that's why 25 governors have stood up and said, 'We're not accepting any refugees.' Good for them. We cannot until we can assure the American people that every single one of these refugees can be properly vetted."

Source: Mike Gallagher podcast, "Fiorina: Tens of Thousands of American Troops Is NOT the Only Option," mikeonline.com, Nov. 17, 2015

"First, I believe that minimum wage should be a state decision, not a federal decision. Why? Because it makes no sense to say that the minimum wage in New York City is the same as the minimum wage in Mason City, Iowa.

Secondly, we have to remember that a lot of minimum wage jobs are jobs where people start, and in those jobs they learn skills to move forward. So we need to be honest about the consequences of raising a minimum wage too high. One of the consequences is that young people who are trapped in poor neighborhoods will have less opportunities to learn skills and move forward."

[Editor's Note: Fiorina said in this quote and on other occasions that there should not be a federal minimum wage, which is why we have classified her position as being "Con" to raising the federal minimum wage.]

"When I was battling cancer my doctor asked me if I was interested in medicinal marijuana, I said I was not, and he said 'good' because we don't understand the marijuana of today. It is a chemically complex compound and we don't understand how it interacts with other medicines, we don't understand how it interacts with other things you're doing in your life."

"I don't support legalized marijuana for a whole host of reasons, including the fact that this is a very complex chemical substance, and when we tell young people it is just like drinking a beer, we are not telling them the truth. But I think Colorado voters made a choice. I don't support their choice, but I do support their right to make that choice."

Source: Ben Kamisar, "Fiorina: States Should Have Right to Legalize Pot," thehill.com, June 9, 2015

"This administration [Obama administration] has no trouble with using drones to kill terrorists all over the world, including American citizens, but apparently they have a problem with capturing terrorists, bringing them back to Gitmo, and interrogating them...

I think when we have enemy combatants on the battle field, honestly if we must kill them of course we should kill them..."

Not Clearly Pro or ConShould the United States Send Ground Troops to Fight ISIS?

"Look, all of us who know anything about it have known that you cannot have a successful bombing campaign unless you have special operations troops on the ground helping to direct that campaign. President Obama hasn't been willing to do that for political purposes.

It's also true that he has no strategy in Syria. He has no strategy for ISIS. And it's also true that when the United States of America fails to act, as he has failed to act, are options are diminished."

"Here's what I will do as Commander in Chief. First, we must have the strongest military on the face of the planet and everyone has to know it.

This will take both an investment in our military and a reform of the Defense Department...

President Obama announces the lay-off of 40,000 troops in response to sequester cuts. Professional politicians have engaged in such brinksmanship which brought us the sequester. While everyone decries it, no one has fixed it. We must reinvest in our military."

Not Clearly Pro or ConShould the National Security Agency (NSA) Continue to Collect Phone and Email Metadata on US Citizens?

"You know, listening to this conversation, let me just say, we have a lot of argument about laws but none of it solves the problem. Let's examine what happened, why did we miss the Tsarnaev brothers, why did we miss the San Bernardino couple? It wasn't because we had stopped collected metadata it was because, I think, as someone who comes from the technology world, we were using the wrong algorithms.

They [Silicon Valley tech companies] do not need to be forced [to provide data to the intelligence agencies]. They need to be asked to bring the best and brightest, the most recent technology to the table. I was asked as a CEO [of Hewlett Packard]. I complied happily."

Source: Team Fix, "5th Republican Debate Transcript, Annotated: Who Said What and What It Meant," washingtonpost.com, Dec. 15, 2015

ProShould Interrogation Techniques That Some Consider Torture, Such as Waterboarding, Be a Legal Option?

"I believe that all of the evidence is very clear -- that waterboarding was used in a very small handful of cases [and] was supervised by medical personnel in every one of those cases. And I also believe that waterboarding was used when there was no other way to get information that was necessary."

Not Clearly Pro or ConIs the Black Lives Matter Movement Good for America?

"[F]irst of all, of course all lives matter. Secondly, black lives have been diminished under Democratic policies. I mean, that's just true. African-American youth unemployment is UP under President Obama. Communities that are struggling with poverty have had more people fall into poverty."

"I'm prepared to take the scientists at their word, scientists say climate change is man-made. But the problem is we never finish the scientists' sentence, because the rest of what the scientists all agree on is a single nation acting alone can make no difference at all. So why would we destroy all these jobs with regulation when the answer to climate change is innovation, not regulation."

"Well GMOs are safe. GMOs are safe, and, you know, you have Nobel Prize winners here from Iowa who dwarf wheat. GMOs have improved food production. They've fed millions and millions and millions of people. And so, this is an issue that's being raised by people who maybe don't understand, or maybe they don't want to understand, but it's yet again a problem that's being raised to provide power and control to government. So I don't think labeling is necessary, because I think the science is pretty clear that this is not only safe, but it's a benefit to people all over this nation, and all over the world."

ProShould the United States Authorize the Keystone XL Pipeline to Import Tar Sand Oil from Canada?

"I support the Keystone Pipeline, and I believe it should be voted on by the representatives of the people. Of course, that has happened and it received overwhelming support. It's President Obama who has decided that he is not moving ahead with it...

The hypocrisy of President Obama's veto of the Keystone Pipeline is that, what we're doing today—shipping everything by rail—is worse for the environment than this pipeline."

ConWas the US Supreme Court Decision Legalizing Same-Sex Marriage a Good Decision?

"My statement on today's #SCOTUS ruling [on Obergefell v. Hodges]: This is only the latest example of an activist Court ignoring its constitutional duty to say what the law is and not what the law should be...

The court ruled today that all Americans should receive equal benefits and rights from the government under the law. I have always supported this view. However, this decision was also about the definition of marriage itself. I do not agree that the Court can or should redefine marriage. I believe that responsibility should have remained with states and voters...

Moving forward, however, all of our effort should be focused on protecting the religious liberties and freedom of conscience for those Americans that profoundly disagree with today's decision."